(CNN) - Hillary Clinton holds a clear lead over rival Barack Obama in Ohio according to three new polls out Monday, though the Illinois senator is gaining ground in the crucial March 4 primary state.

New surveys conducted by Quinnipiac University, the University of Cincinnati, and the American Research Group all show Clinton with roughly a 10 point lead over Obama, with eight days to go until Ohioans head to the polls.

In the Quinnipiac University poll, Clinton leads Obama by 11 points (51- 40 percent). She holds an 8 point lead in the University of Cincinnati poll (47 percent to 39 percent), and a 10 point lead in the American Research Group poll (49 – 39 percent).

While Clinton still holds a lead in Ohio, a Quinnipiac poll released on February 12 showed Clinton with a 21-point lead over Obama, and a Columbus Dispatch Poll released late last month had Clinton up 23 percent there.

After 11 straight Obama wins, the Clinton campaign has said that victories in Ohio and Texas are crucial to the New York senator's White House hopes.

soundoff(520 Responses)

The race is close because true democrats see through Obamas facade and know that Hilary is the best person to lead this party and lead our country.

Independants are fooled by Obamas smokescreen / rhetoric and are mislded by the baised media and consequently may end up steering us into a social and fiscal nightmare.

February 25, 2008 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |

V in Ca

WHOO HOO! Go Hillary!! Obama has flip-flopped repeatedly, and is doing it again about NAFTA and trade. He wants to please everybody, even people with opposite views. Some day, he's going to have to take a stand and come down on one side or the other, and then... won't everyone be surprised.

February 25, 2008 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |

Joey

I'm curious how an inexperienced person who only speaks of change and his supporters can often not identify anything he has changed can become such a symbol of change...

I think people need to step outside the box and ignore the medias (CNN this includes you!) persuasive choke hold and think about the candidate who says words matter but borrows other peoples words with out crediting (until after the fact). Go ahead say Hillary has done the same thing but remember her platform isn't words matter she may speak to it but "O" has made it a slogan of his campaign.

If you can step outside the box watch all the debates over and you'll see that there is a clear difference in his ability to speak when it's a rehearsed speach and when it's a debate. He speaks well in front of large crowds but when there is someone else interjecting different ideas he tends to fumble... and if you watched the last debate you'll notice he also doodles a lot and speaks with his hands WAY to much and just doesn't seem groomed enough to be a president. If he can't be presidental in a debate to become the president how will he act as the president with leaders of other countries? He needs to get more experience under his belt and come back because he's simply not ready!

February 25, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

TERESA IN TEXAS

WAKE UP TEXAS, OBAMA SUPPORTERS! HE IS THE MOST LIBERAL SENATOR!! I'M A DEMOCRAT, BUT I BELIEVE IN PEOPLE WORKING FOR A LIVING JUST AS HARD AS I DO! YOU NEED EXPERIENCE TO MAKE "CHANGE" AND HILLARY IS A STRONG, DEDICATED, SMART HUMAN BEING! VOTE HILLARY FOR A PROSPEROUS NEXT 8 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!

February 25, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

Terry IL

Did Hillary Clinton take her meds? She seem to be shockingly bipolar, judging by this weekend attack on Obama. If she goes belistic on an pretty much correct attack on her support of NAFTA, how will she fair taking on world leaders abroad when other countries dare not to agree on her foreign policies? Hey..in a nutshell, she's to unstable. I'm definitely going for OBAMA for president 2008.

February 25, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

ally

Hillary is a sicko. She is decisive like Bush and her administration will also underperform. Her supporters are not critical thinkers but blind followers who are incapable of analyzing a new candidate and alternative. Ohio dems – think. Some of us have.

Obama 08 & 12

February 25, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

Sue, NY

Hillary Clinton has officially lost it....she has shown so many personalities in this campaign that it's hard to know who the real Hillary Clinton really is. She goes from this moment to screaming to mocking...it's tilme for the party elders such as Al Gore and John Dean to get her out before she ruins any chance of the democratic party winning in November. What in the world is she thinking. She says she's running for the people and yet her desire is so strong that she is willing to cast the democrats aside in order to win. Shame on Hillary.

February 25, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

Silver

I’m a normal American *woman*, and I wouldn’t vote for Hillary. The woman is not genuine, and if she won, it would be business as usual- kook-left ideas trying to be shoved through while kook-right stalwarts do everything they can to halt the process. In short, nothing gets done.

And while I would still get out and vote for someone it IS becoming “normal” in America to just stay home on Election Day if there are no candidates you like.

February 25, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

JC in SC

Hillary's comments would not be considered "outrageous" if a man had said them. Don't you want your President to be a force to be reckoned with? You know Jan, you've sold yourself out. You know, Hillary is despised here in SC, but she truly is the only one of the three left standing who knows the world leader's names and for that matter, can find places like Kosovo on a map. I'm sorry, but I can't picture your man Obama looking anything but like an inexperienced spectator at a world conference with his eloquent words getting him nowhere.

February 25, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

rusty

This picture, given the events that have transpired since, is kind of chilling. Obama was basically shaking hands with a snake.

February 25, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

Monina

I think Hillary need to stop talking bad about Obama, she needs to look or act civilized, I am so disappointed how she act-she's childish and I dont think she is fit ti be a president . Above all we are voting for the new generation we dont need a repeat performance in the white house.

February 25, 2008 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |

Peter Bodrogi

The people supporting Obama have been swayed by lots of rhetoric and fantastic speeches, but no substance and contents – his promises are lofty and wishy-washy. I am really beginning to think that our country is nothing more than a whirl-pool of populism (pop-art, pop-music, pop-stars, pop-politics)!! Sad, sad, sad. Most Americans seem to have the need for a Messiah. What we need is a real president! Go Hillary!

February 25, 2008 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |

LGriff

All the bickering back and forth with the Dem party want solve anything. Sen Clinton and her campaign has got all this mess started,
because she has lost 11 straight . She's already showing examples of a sore loser. Why can't she just run her race and quit trying to belittle Obama. This man, although don't have much experience than she does is, very intelligent, aware of all the politics and problems that is going on in the world. If you've been keeping track of the debates, you will realize that Obama is all about business and getting the job done. He wants to bring about change and put an end to all the lobbying and other political issues that has been going on in the White House, and may I add Hillary has a lot to do with some of the problems as well. Their philosophy is, "We don't want change, we want to keep the political mess going", while Obama wants to clean it up.

Get real America!!!!!!! Hillary is running Democrat in a Republican world.

February 25, 2008 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |

just me

all you people think OBama is the greates things since sliced bread ,why are you all blaming hillary for the photo what make you think that OBama group did not post it to blame Hillary. all you OBama lovers ask him how we are going to pay for all his plains like $4.000
for all collage student en role. all you lovers think we are spending lot off money in irock wate till see what he will spend in African & kenian. he says he is not mulsin when he has been friends of Louis Farrahhanfor 20yrs at his church & his pastor Wright a the same church & of all Opreha. also Obama keeps harpon on the war every every body was lide to about the war& OBama voted to give all the money to support the war .hope all peope that support OBama & going to vote him becuse you will ellect MC caine .good luck. just me. he ,mnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

February 25, 2008 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |

buck up

Obama means change . . .let's be realistic . . .anybody other than a republican is change. Though I respect Obama I do not understand what he is really offering that is so much different than Hillary. Hillary has experience and knows what battles to fight and how to win them. Here we have a man who is clearly intelligent but has not actually even gotten his feet wet when it comes to politics. Face it, whether we like it or not they are all politicians . . . .it is asking the question, which will the better politician. Change could come in the form of positive or negative change. Actions speak louder than words to me and Obama, though liked by many, does not have the experience to make me feel comfortable voting for him. I do not agree with everything that Hillary and her campaign have done, but if she is going to fight her way to the white house, then let her do it without criticizing her. Let her get some positive publicity from the biased cnn and MSNBC programs. I would like to Clinton challenge Obama on issues at hand . . . .I say the gloves are off . .so let's see it all. He/she who wants it the most will fight the hardest to get there.

February 25, 2008 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |

Paulina

I agree with Michelle here:
February 25th, 2008 2:32 pm ET

It's a little scary how Americans can be easily fooled by a smooth talker.

Obama is getting a free ride, and I'm afraid it will be all the way to the White House, but it will be too late then and America will be no better than it is today.

That Kool-Aide is going to be the death of us all, even for those who know better and vote for some one else. I so hope we are all smarter this time around, but I'm afraid we have been fooled again.

Obama is not the right choice. Do your homework, read up on all the candidates, open your minds and pick with your heads not for who people tell you to pick, or who you think has the most movie star qualities, that does not make for a good president.

I live here too and I'm so worried that another inexperienced person will be in charge again, he's going to fail he's not ready and we are all going to be screwed.

February 25, 2008 02:52 pm at 2:52 pm |

Chris

After reading most of the posts on the CNN Political Ticker, what I fear more than the candidates are the voters. The folks who are posting in here are childish. For those of you who demand civility from the candidates and then spout off in your mean-spirited rhetoric are really hypocritical. The name calling is so disturbing and there is very little substance from a great many of you. The candidates don't scare me as much as you do!

February 25, 2008 02:52 pm at 2:52 pm |

frank101

THE POLLS ARE JUST GIVING HILLARY HOPE. I BELIEVE OBAMA WILL WIN IN TEXAS AND OHIO. THE DEMS HAVE TO PLAN FOR NOV. GENERAL ELECTION WITH OBAMA AS THEIR CANDIDATE AND FORGET THE CLINTONS. WE NEED A CHANGE.

TEXAS, OHIO PLEASE VOTE OBAMA.

THE CLINTONS HAVE TO GO HOME, THE TIME IS OVER.
WE NEED A YOUNG MAN LIKE OBA MA

VIVA BARACK OBAMA PER SEMPRE

February 25, 2008 02:52 pm at 2:52 pm |

Mary

Hillary cannot be trusted. She shifts her opinion on issues when politically convenient. And she's proven that with NAFTA and Iraq. America is ready for somthing new and Obama is the candidate.

Go Obama!!!

February 25, 2008 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |

Asad Shane

it is a shame for clinton camp to smear the future President Mr. Obama. it is ugly tactic democrats to tear down each other; lets be possitive and hope for change. the change we can bleive in.

OBAMA 08.

February 25, 2008 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |

Sideline Spectator

The fact that Hillary has a lead in Cincinnati is wonderful for her campaign! Cincinnati is a very conservative city in Ohio. If she holds a lead in Cincinnati, that means she is more appealing to members of the Republican party, which is a great thing!!

February 25, 2008 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |

cecil

Hillary Clinton's characteristic divisive attack again on the recent mailers will hurt her more. This time, her vicious tone and fishwife like screaming anger were not presidential. It was ugly.

February 25, 2008 02:53 pm at 2:53 pm |

Ray

TEXAS IS HILLARY COUNTRTY!!!!

She didn't discover Texas when it became an integral part of winning the Dem nomination in her bid for the Presidency. She knows Texas, she knows are our diverse people, issues and politics. She is intelligent, practical and a strong advocate for the underserved. When it wasn't popular to make healthcare affordable, she brought us healthcare for over 6 million American children. She represents the working person who is trying to make a better life and country for our children.

TEXAS IS HILLARY COUNTRY!!!!

February 25, 2008 02:54 pm at 2:54 pm |

Keith

I NEVER hear that Hilary is ahead in the polls. All I hear is that Obama is increasing and then if he gets ahead it is front page. Why is the media so biased in this campaign?

February 25, 2008 02:58 pm at 2:58 pm |

Peter Damoah-Afari

NOBAMA..................This is silly. Tell the whole world why you don't like Obama. I am not sure you have a single argument against him. Please put on your thinking cup and do the right thing.